Soap can be defined as a salt of one or more of the higher fatty acids with an alkali or metal. Most soaps are made by the action of potassium or sodium hydroxide on animal fats and vegetable oils (or fatty acids). The preparation of soap directly from the raw fatty acids by the use of a lye (either potassium or sodium hydroxide) is referred to as saponification, which is well known in the art of soap manufacture.
Cleaning compositions may be formulated to be in dry form (e.g., powder, tablet, etc.) and liquid form. Powders and liquids generally require measuring, which allows for adjusting the cleaning composition as load size changes. Cleaning compositions that contain soaps, detergents, whiteners, and/or combinations of these in a solid form, such as tablets or pucks, are known in the art (e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,912 (Ehrlich), U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,197 (Kruse et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,341 (Nelson et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,212 (Kruse et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,100 (Fry et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,440 (Watanabe et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,858,959 (Surutzidis et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,664,226 (Jacques et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,689,305 (Fernholz et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 7,153,817 (Binder), U.S. Pat. No. 7,598,217 (Burg et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 8,357,647 (Sharma et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 8,426,350 (Geret et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 8,877,240 (Moore); and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. US2003/0100101 (Huth et al.), US2003/0171245 (Goovaerts et al.), US2005/0113279 (Desmarescaux et al.), US2011/0118166 (Tjelta et al.), US2012/0142576 (Bartelme et al.), and US2013/0109609 (Smith et al.), which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety to the extent not inconsistent with the disclosure herein). Tablets or laundry pucks provide great convenience to users because they are in a form of an individual dose (i.e., no measuring is required).
Commercially offered laundry soap and detergent cleaning compositions generally have multiple synthetic components, even those marketed as “natural” soaps. Many synthetic components of commercial laundry soap and detergent cleaning compositions remain on laundered fabrics as unwanted residues that may cause irritation to skin or respiratory systems, and/or cause other unwanted issues. Homemade natural laundry soaps lack the synthetic surfactants and other components that enhance the cleaning power of commercial laundry soap and detergent cleaning compositions.
There is a need for alternative laundry soaps that are made of natural ingredients and synergistic acting additives from natural and naturally derived sources.